Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

 

One thing I love is a chocolate chip cookie warm out of the oven. I mean who doesn’t really? I also love an Oatmeal Raisin cookie. Who knew I could combine the two and have the best cookie ever made?? Well, thank goodness I listen to my friend Ina all the time. If you’re unsure who that is, I mean Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa….duh, right? She and I are close (in my head). I decided to browse through her new cook book that Eli and Henry gave me for Mother’s day and came across this delicious concoction. When I tell you these are the best chocolate chip cookies on earth, believe me! You should stop what you are doing and make these right now! Let me show you how….

Ingredients:

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1¼ cups old-fashioned oats (I used Quaker)
¾ pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped in chunks
¾ cup dried cranberries (optional and I chose to omit)
Fleur de sel (Ina says to use this, I didn’t have any so I used kosher salt and they were perfect)

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper. I use parchment paper when Ina tells me too, but I’m sure you’ll be fine spraying a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

 

Take your chocolate bar and just chop into chunks. This part was fun!

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. On low speed, add the vanilla then the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl again. You want to be sure to keep all the goodness mixed well in the bowl.

Just try and stop me from sticking my finger in there!

Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix in the oats. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. If you're like me, stand back so the powder doesn't hit you in the face. Ina always says “don’t overbeat it”! With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate (and cranberries if you so choose) until the dough is well mixed. With a 1¾-inch ice cream scoop (or two spoons), scoop round balls of dough onto the sheet pans. Like so....

 

 

Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt or fleur de sel if you are fancy. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve warm out of the oven for maximum pleasure!

Tip from Ina……If you prefer cookies thin and crisp, bake them straight from the mixing bowl. If you prefer them chewy in the middle and crisp outside, chill the balls of dough. She has great tips so I have to include them.  Let me know how you like these!  Makes about 2 dozen cookies sent from heaven.

Crack! (or you could call it Saltine Toffee)

 

I've heard it called many things, but Crack is my favorite!

I had to laugh when I was reading my friend, Trisha Yearwood’s, cookbook. She loves this recipe because her mother always wanted something sweet after dinner and then immediately needed something salty. That is totally my husband! He always needs something salty after his sweet snack, whereas I am happy as a hippo ending with a sweet snack. I’m going to look like a hippo if I don’t keep ending with a sweet snack too!

 

A friend of mine brought these to a party we had years ago too. She gave me the recipe, but I lost it. I’m pretty sure this is it though. Angie, if you are reading this, is this it?? I fell in love with them at the party and couldn’t believe how easy they were to make. I love toffee and I love easy so this was right up my alley! I wanted to make a special treat for friends this Christmas so I pulled out my cookbook and found this recipe again. You definitely need to try this one. It’s so easy and worth every minute of effort put in!

 

Ingredients:

35-45 saltines

2 sticks (1 cup) butter

1 cup light brown sugar

8 (ish) ounces semi sweet chocolate chips*

*cooks note – I used one full bag (12 oz) of milk chocolate chips and it turned out great. I tried 8 oz first and it looked like I needed more to spread around so I added the whole bag.

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

 

Line 1 large or 2 small jelly-roll pans with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the saltines salt-side down in a single layer. My jelly roll pan held 48 crackers and that was perfect.  

As you can see, I didn't listen to directions and place them salty side down. Uh oh!

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and boil until it turns a caramel color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly.

 

Put the jelly-roll pan into the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly, watching carefully. 

can you see how bubbly and delicious it is looking right now?? Yum!

Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers. When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife.

 

and viola! Doesn't that look yummy already?

Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. My chocolate was still wet to touch after 20 minutes so I left it in for about 30 minutes. 

This will form one big sheet. Break it up into random pieces, any size will do. Store in an airtight container. Package for friends for holiday treats or just enjoy! My husband loves these because it was the perfect combination of his sweet and salty snack. These are a keeper. I think I’ll be making these again to take to my parents for Christmas.

 

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This is going to be one of the simplest recipes you’ve ever made. This is great for a holiday party treat, or really just for any Thursday night. I’m pretty sure I’ve never made a recipe with just two ingredients other than this one. How about you? Can it really get any easier than two ingredients?? This is also one of my favorite cookies. How can it not be when it’s made with peanut butter cookie dough and a mini Reese’s cup?? Two of my favorite things.

 

Some people will make a homemade cookie for the cookie base, but I’m a fan of making this one quick and easy and using prepared cookie dough. If you want to make it a more difficult and time consuming recipe, then go ahead and whip up some homemade cookie dough. While you do that, I’m going to show you how to make it with two easy ingredients. Here’s what you need:

 

1 tube of prepared peanut butter cookie dough

12-24 (more or less) Mini  peanut butter cups

You can decide the quantity. If you just want to make a dozen to sit on the couch and devour with your husband, then you can......I cannot confirm or deny if that has ever happened. Or you can make 2 dozen or more for a party.

 

Directions:

 

Slice the cookie dough about 3/4 inch thick, then slice into fourths

 

Place each fourth in a mini muffin cup. Do not shape to fit pan, just lay the portion in each cup. Be sure you are using a mini muffin pan, not full size

 

Peel wrapping off your desired amount of peanut butter cups and get ready to use......but not yet

 

Place mini muffin tin in oven according to package and bake for 7-10 minutes. You don’t want them to get hard like a cookie. I usually stick around the 7 minute mark. The cookies are perfectly puffed up in the muffin tins. Still soft enough to press a peanut butter cup into.

 

Remove from oven and immediately press one peanut butter cup in the center of each muffin cup, pressing down until the top of the peanut butter cup is even with the top of the pan. The cookies start to hug the peanut butter cup....I can say that I really blame them. Move quickly to get them all pressed in before the melting starts to happen.

 

Now some people leave them on the counter to cool, letting the peanut butter cup melt, but I put mine in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes and let them set quickly. You might have learned that I’m a bit impatient.

 

Now, pop one of these babies in your mouth and enjoy a little taste of heaven. I’ve been making these for years. They are so easy, so delicious, and the perfect party dessert. Hope you’ll enjoy for years to come too!

THE Nestle' Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

We moved to GA from VA and had hoped we would escape the snow and super cold winters. Well, that didn’t work out this year. They are using the word “catastrophic” to describe the snow and ice heading our way tonight. Well, I had to jump into action and do what I could to make sure we are ready. Run to the grocery store? No! Make sure we have enough water, milk and bread? No! Salt the driveway? No! I immediately started a pot of chicken and rice soup (recipe coming soon) and then realized we needed a dessert too. How else could we make it through the storm without snacks and desserts??  You won’t believe this, but I’ve never made Nestle Toll House Cookies! I know, I can’t believe it either. I’ve eaten plenty in my time though. We all know what I decided to make now, right? Yep, for the first time ever  I made Toll House cookies. We mostly wanted them for the cookie dough, but I did end up baking some of them. Man, that is the best cookie dough ever. They are so quick and easy too......and so delicious. I know you can find this recipe everywhere, but now you can find it on my blog too! Other sites won’t have my humorous commentary either! Let’s make some cookies:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional – I didn’t add them this time)

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts, if desired.

or you could just eat the dough like we did!

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. The dough is just so beautiful.....and quite tasty!

Drop a few on cookies sheets, and a few in your mouth.....just a suggestion!

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. That is, if you can wait 2 minutes after smelling fresh chocolate chip cookies baking......we couldn't hence the numbness in the roof of my mouth where the hot chocolate chips burned it. BTW, totally worth it!

Nestle offered this option on their website, I might try it next time. Little squares of goodness sound like something I’d like to try too.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

Nutella Pochettes

Now that we are pretty much settled in our Georgia home, I’ve been trying some new recipes.....and Thank God I did! I mean, just WOW! These Nutella Pochettes are to die for! Don’t worry, I didn’t know what a pochette was either. It’s basically a turnover, but this is a Nutella filled turnover? What?? Yes, delicious dough filled with the chocolaty deliciousness of Nutella! Thank goodness I've had time to watch more Food Network and find this little treasure. Yes, I know I have a recent blog with Nutella, but who can have too much Nutella?? No one!

We had our own little Superbowl party and I made these for our dessert and let me tell you, these will make you want to slap somebody! Take a bite of them fresh out of the oven.....YUM! Well, honestly, I did burn my lip just a little when the chocolate oozed out so I think I’ll recommend waiting just a few minutes, if you can. They are just the perfect little treat AND I made homemade dough! I know, I can’t believe it either, but I did! It was super easy too. Just three ingredients and I had a flaky and delicious dough. Should I see how many times I can use the word “delicious” in this blog? Okay, I guess you got the message, these are really really really good! I’m happy to share my recipe with you. Here’s what you need to get started:

 
Ingredients:
 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• about 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
• Water, as needed
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

 

Directions:

 
In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and creamy. Add the flour slowly until the dough forms. Do not over-mix!

Shape the dough into a ball and cover. That's my homemade dough ball. :-) Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Look! I made dough!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F while we get started on assembly.

On a lightly-floured surface, using a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

Keep rolling until it's a little thinner

Using a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Form the scraps into a ball and reroll to make more circles. I didn't have a regular biscuit cutter, much less a fluted one, so I used a glass. Anything that is a circle will most likely work.

This made about 15 for me, but the recipe said it should make 32. Hmmmmm.....I think I’ll roll the dough a little thinner next time.


Fill each dough circle with a small spoonful of the chocolate-hazelnut spread.  Don't overfill or spread around. Trust me, a spoonful is plenty and it will fill out the pasty shell.

What a beautiful sight!

Dip your finger in tap water and spread on the edge of half the circle to help create a seal. Fold the dough over to create a crescent.

Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool, then sift the confectioners' sugar on top and serve. Don’t sprinkle sugar on until cool, it will appear wet and gummy on top.

Don't those look pretty? Wait until you sprinkle with powdered sugar!

If you decide to share these, you will have some happy friends and family! Enjoy!

Nutella Brownies - To Die For!

O-M-G! These are the best brownies I’ve ever put in my mouth! How can you go wrong with a whole jar of Nutella, right? They are super moist and delicious! Just look at that picture....you can practically smell them and taste the moistness. Throw away every brownie recipe you have and only make this one from now on. I’m serious, they are THAT delicious! I made them for my first Stella & Dot party and made them again the next day for another party. I wanted to make sure all of my friends got a taste.....and maybe I needed another one for myself. Oh, did I tell you that I’m a Stella & Dot Stylist now?? Well I am and I’ve very excited about it. This is where I should plug my personal website www.stelladot.com/dawnstewart

 Now back to the brownies.....They are so easy to make too. I love a quick and easy, but still homemade recipe. Here’s what you need....first important ingredient:

Nutella isn't paying me, I just happen to think this is the best ingredient EVER!

 

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1/2 Cup All-purpose flour
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 Cup Nutella (one small jar is perfect)
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup melted unsalted butter

 Directions:

 

• Preheat the oven to 325°F and make sure the rack is in the middle of the oven.
• Butter all sides of the pan thoroughly.
• Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs, hazelnut spread, brown sugar and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture, alternating with the melted butter.

This could be a good point to taste it and make sure everything tastes okay.....just a little quality control for my peeps.

 

• Scrape the batter into the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached (not completely clean), 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool in the pan for about 2 hours. Remove and cut into squares. Or if you’re like me, wait about 5 minutes, cut out a little piece and enjoy while it’s really warm! Look at that picture, how could you resist??

 

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I made mini bundt cakes this time, but I usually make one large one. Cute, right?

I just realized that in one of my first blogs I was bragging about the best pound cake recipe and promised to give it to you later and I never did. So sorry about that. Do you want to guess where I got the best pound cake recipe in the world from??? You probably guessed it right.....my Daddy.  Where else would I get it? He’s the best baker I know.  I’ve tried pound cakes with butter flavoring, sour cream, but Daddy’s pound cake with cream cheese is seriously the best pound cake you’ll ever taste! It is perfectly sweet and moist with the perfect outside crust. Make this one and you can toss your other recipes. I did. Since I realized I hadn’t blogged about this recipe yet, it gave me the perfect excuse to make a pound cake and cupcakes! I’m always looking for a reason to make or eat a cupcake! They really are the best little perfect size treats, aren’t they? Your little individual cake or piece of heaven as I like to think. I could go on and on, but I’ll give you the recipe first. Cupcakes are great, but make them out of pound cake and they are over the top delish! Here’s what you need to make the best pound cake:

Ingredients:

3 sticks margarine at room temperature (I’ve substituted for butter when it was all I had)

1 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature

6 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups sugar

3 cups sifted flour

pinch salt

Directions:

Cream margarine, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.

This is just the butter, cream cheese and sugar creamed

Add salt and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in flour slowly.

Now I'm just showing off my pretty new blender. This is the final batter. The batter is quite delicious too.

Spoon batter into cupcake tins or a bundt pan. Make sure both are sprayed well. Bake at 325 degrees for 1.5 hours (for one cake).

Fill up the cupcake tins all the way. Pound cake doesn't rise as much as normal cakes and you want full size cupcakes.

This recipe also makes 2 dozen of the best cupcakes ever! If you are cooking cupcakes, bake for 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

If you made cupcakes, like I did, you'll want to ice those babies. This is a delicious and easy chocolate icing recipe. The Pioneer Woman taught me how to make this. She and I have such fun cooking together. Okay, here's what you need to make the icing.

Ingredients for icing:

• 2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 3/4 cups Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream (more To Taste)

The icing batter was yummy too. I love batter!

Directions:

  In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until totally soft and smooth. Sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt, then add gradually to the mixer, scraping the sides as you go. (When combined, mixture will be very thick/crumbly.) Drizzle in cream and whip on high until smooth, scraping the sides as you go.

Now ice those yummy treats and make them even yummier!

Don't they look beautiful??

How ever you choose to use this pound cake recipe, you'll be pleased. It makes a beautiful large pound cake. I like to use a bundt pan, or it makes awesome cupcakes.  Eat up and enjoy!

Update: David want a little glaze on his personal bundt cake. Turned out pretty, right?

Crockpot Chocolate Candy - Yes, it's true!

Yes, this is actual delicious chocolate candy that is made in the crockpot! I know this is going to sound crazy, but just keep reading.  Don’t give up on it just yet. It was so easy and so delicious! Who knew you could make yummy candy in the crockpot?? I had no idea until my friend, Trisha Yearwood, taught me how. Thank goodness I still have time to watch the Food Network! I was watching her show last weekend and she made this candy with a friend of hers (not me, another friend) and I immediately ran out to buy the ingredients and give it a try. I also had never heard of almond bark, but what the heck, Trisha said to buy it so I did! Are you dying to know how to make it now?? I think you are. Okay, here’s the recipe: 

Ingredients:

2 pounds salted dry-roasted peanuts (this seemed like a lot of nuts so I might cut it back next time and mix it up with pecans). You could also just use whatever type of nut floats your boat.

4 ounces German's sweet chocolate (about 4 squares)

One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

2 1/2 pounds white almond bark

Directions:

Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips and then the almond bark. Set the temperature on low and cook for 3 hours. Do not stir the mixture. Tip: you might want to use a crockpot liner so you don’t have a chocolaty mess to clean up afterwards.

After 3 hours*, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake pan liners using about 2 tablespoons per liner. Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners.  *Now here is a disclaimer – I read several reviews of this recipe online and many said the nuts burned in their crockpot. Mine was perfectly fine, but maybe check after 1 ½ hours to 2 hours to make sure. If it’s all melted and you can stir it, go ahead and serve it up!

Mix well and get all the nuts covered in that yummy chocolate.

Here are some ideas I’m going to add next time too…..I think I’ll stick a caramel square in the cupcake liners and spoon the chocolate around it. That would be a yummy turtle treat! I also might get some peppermint candy to sprinkle on top after I scoop it out so it will be pretty. And lastly I was even thinking of putting a small York peppermint patty in the bottom of the liner and scooping the chocolate on top. Now that would be over the top!! So many ways to mix this recipe up.

Doesn't that look yummy?? As you can see, it is a lot of nuts, not that it's a bad thing, but I might cut it back next time.

These make such nice gifts and treats for your friends and they think you went to so much trouble, but it was really sooooo easy. Shhhhh…..that will be our little secret. I used Christmas cupcake liners and wrapped a couple up in cute paper and gave as gifts. Doesn’t it look cute? you could use mini liners and make so many more!  I think anyone would love to receive this treat, or just enjoy them yourself, but I must warn you…..this makes about 50-60 pieces. Add almond bark to your shopping list and make some now!

Merry Christmas!